Notes to the Recordings
All the Things You Are
All the Things You Are is a triptych. The first and last sections are in a running broken contrapuntal style incorporating a mixture of vertical & horizontal hemiolas. The phraseology is very rhythmically complicated and can be quite confusing for the uninitiated listener because neither the top nor bottom lines have any prolonged melodic importance, but rather the importance lies in the asymmetrical interplay of the two. The middle section opens out into juxtaposing chordal sections and angular geometric lines giving a sense of refrain before returning to the running intervallic line. It is influenced by 20th century classical guitar music.
Stella by Starlight
Stella by Starlight is in a style inspired by the solo jazz piano music of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett; Jarrett’s particularly, for his flexibility of phrase and harmonic rhythm.
Ricercar
The Ricercar is in a style developed from the study of late 15th / early 16th century lute music. It is in an organic, free developing form which is harmonically determined by the contrapuntal interplay. This type of improvisation was very common amongst the lute players of the past.
Introduction and Scherzo
Introduction and Scherzo is in a style inspired by the 20th century guitar interpretations of Julian Bream, particularly the music of Henze and the English contemporary composers Bream commissioned music from: Rawsthorne, Bennett, Davies, etc
The form is very organic, focusing on sonorities and textures that are the guitar’s individual strength, as well as rhythmic vitality and geometrical strength of line.
Darn That Dream
Darn That Dream is inspired by the solo piano music of Bill Evans; his sparse economy, sense of swing and jabs of chordal punctuation in particular.
Goldberg
Goldberg is an example of improvisation over a Baroque form. It is based on the ground bass of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Stylistically, it is not looking to be Baroque in a dry academic sense, but is seeking creative vitality while still maintaining the structural form and the Baroque accent. It is in 9/8 time.
Solar
Solar is in a style that incorporates the whole range of the guitar. It is a style inspired by the piano music of Keith Jarrett, particularly his rhythmic flexibility of line and abstract lyricism. This is mixed with the sonorities and sharp rhythmic drive of 20th century Latin American classical guitar music.
Yesterdays
Yesterdays is in a style inspired by the piano playing of Keith Jarrett. It incorporates elements of stride piano, 20th-century classical, Bebop and Latin American music. It’s this open-minded creativity and rhythmic incisiveness that Jarrett has inspired in this style.
Nardis
Nardis is in a style inspired by Bill Evans’ intros he performed on this song with his two last trios. It’s a darker harmonic interpretation due to the technique of turning every chord, at points, into minor chords to exploit their chromatic relationships. It is full of polyrhythmic devices and hemiolas, similar to the first track, All The Things You Are, and in this way provides a nice bookend to these recordings.
Note about the audio quality
Please excuse the audio quality of these recordings. I hope that it is adequate enough to convey the music.